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SKETCH 


OF 


Captain  Thompson  l^lcAllister, 

CITIZEN,  SOLDIER, 
CH  RIST!  AN  . 


[.    GRAY  iVIcALLISTER 


I  i 


1896. 


CO 


Pamphlet  Celie€tiai 
Duke  Uaiversity  Lifefaf^ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/sketchofcaptaintOOmcal 


SKETCH 


Captain  Thompson  McAllister, 


.  GO.    A,    27TH    VIRGINIA  REGIMENT. 

BY 

J.   GEAY  McALLISTEE. 


T  AM  GLAD  TO  KNOW  YOU  ARE  GOING  TO  PUBLISH  A  MEMOIR  OF  Ca.PTAIN 

McAllister,  for  he  was  a  brave  man  and  deserves 
COMMEMORATION." — U.  S.  SencUor  John  W.  Daniel. 


FOR    PRIVATE  DISTRIBUTION. 


PETERSBURG,  VA.  : 
FENN  &  OWEN,  PRINTERS  AND  BINDERS. 
1896. 


TO  WIFE, 


MRS.    LYDIA    MILLER    (ADDAMS)  McALLISTER, 

w/to,  at  nearly  four-score,  graces  a  Christian  character  by  genuine 
young -hear tedness  and  Loving  sympathy . 


PREFACE. 


o  THOSE  wlio  knew  Captain  McAllister,  personally  and  by 


report,  no  apology  is  needed  for  the  presentation  of  this 
sketch,  and  since  for  these  it  was  written,  further  explanation  is 
wholly  superfluous.  Of  the  authorities  freely  used  in  prepara- 
tion may  be  mentioned  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Second  Series, 
Edition  of  1SS7,  Yol.  xiv,  pp.  375  and  452;  Bancroft,  Vol.  iii, 
pp.  205-(];  and  '^McAllister  Memoranda,''  compiled  (lS44j  by 
Hon.  Hugh  ^vTelson  McAllister.  These  were  furnished  by  Mrs. 
J.  H.  Baldwin,  (nee  McAllister),  of  Edgewood  Park,  Pa.,  who 
rendered  other  valuable  assistance,  as  did  in  like  manner  her 
sister,  Mrs.  AVilson  Lloyd,  of  Oakland  Mills,  Pa.  The  chief 
source  of  information  was  the  large  batch  of  war -papers  which 
the  writer  found  at  ''Eose  Dale"  in  December,  1894,  and  wher- 
ever possible  this  written  testimony  is  made  its  own  spokesman. 

Prominence  has  been  given  to  these  writings  for  the  reason  that 
Captain  McAllister  was  a  pronounced  military  man  by  both  taste 
and  training,  and  further  because  the  records  of  this  period  were 
more  accessible  and  full. 

Especial  mention  is  gratefuilj^  made  of  the  services  of  Mr, 
Hugh  M.  McAllister,  of  Covington,  Ya.,  and  the  liberal  pecu- 
niary assistance  of  Mr.  Wm.  M.  McAllister,  of  Y^arm  Springs, 
Ya.  The  unanimity  of  response  on  the  part  of  all  is  indeed  most 
gratifying,  and  suggests  the  question  whether  we  are  not  now 
ready  to  publish  a  comprehensive  history  of  the  famil3\  The 


6 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


collection  of  records  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Baldwin,  compiled 
by  her  at  the  expense  of  mnch  time  and  effort,  can,  I  feel  cer- 
tain, be  secured  if  the  necessary  funds  be  raised  for  their  publi- 
lication.  And  no  one  is  so  well  fitted  as  herself  to  collate  and 
publish  them. 

The  engraved  Frontispiece,  though  not  as  clear-cut  as  desired, 
was  yet  the  best  that  could  be  secured,  there  being  extant  no 
recent  photograph  from  which  a  good  engraving  could  be  made. 

The  accompanying  sketch  has  been  struck  off  in  hours  snatched 
from  a  busy  life.  It  makes  pretentions  to  no  literary  merit  and 
its  purpose  shall  have  been  compassed  if  loyalty  to  truth  be 
maintained  i,nd  a  faithful  portraiture  of  one  whose  memory  is 
blessed  be  given  those  for  whom  it  is  prepared. 

J,  Gray  McAllister. 

Richmond,  Va.,  May,  1896. 


V, 


THOMPSON  MCALLISTER. 


By  J.  Gray  McAltvIster. 


MONG  the  Scotch  Protestants  seeking  a  temporary  shelter 
in  Ireland  in  the  first  half  of  the  18th  century  was  one 
Hugh  McAllister,  the  progenitor  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  For  the  further  and  unhampered  exercise  of  liberty, 
religious  and  civil,  for  which  all  possessions  save  honor  had  been 
laid  dow^n,  he,  with  others  of  like  faith,  emigrated  to  America 
about  the  year  1730,  settling  in  Lancaster  county.  Pa.  Here  six 
years  later  his  second  son,  Hugh,  was  born.  The  latter  was  but 
22  years  of  age  when  as  private  in  Captain  Forbes'  company  he 
went  out  to  help  capture  Fort  Du  Quesne.  He  was  under  Wash- 
ington at  that  time  and  hence  must  have  been  one  of  the  picked 
men  of  the  advance  guard.  In  1763  Pontiac's  war  began  and 
young  Hugh  marched  as  a  volunteer  in  a  company  of  one  hun- 
dred men.  In  1776  we  find  him  one  of  the  sergeants  in  Captain 
James  Gibson's  company  of  militia  of  the  Fourth  Battalion  of 
Cumberland  county.  In  December,  1776,  he  enlisted  the  first 
man  in  Captain  John  Hamilton's  company,  formed  for  re-enforcing 
the  disheartened  army  of  Washington.  The  company  reached 
headquarters  one  day  after  the  capture  of  the  Hessians  at  Tren- 
ton. In  1777  the  young  soldier  held  a  lieutenant's  commission 
and  on  his  return  w^as  elected  captain.  Tow^ards  the  close  of  the 
war  he  was  in  command  of  forces  stationed  at  Potter's  Fort,  Cen- 
tre county,  and  commanded  an  expedition  sent  to  punish  the 
Indians  for  depredations  committed  near  the  Great  Island,  where 
the  City  of  Lock  Haven  now  stands,  and  May  1st,  1783,  he  was 
commissioned  Major  of  the  7th  Battalion  of  militia  in  the  county 
of  Cumberland.  The  w^ar  over,  he  retired  to  the  farm,  lying  in 
Lost  Creek  Valley,  which  he  had  purchased  in  1756.  His  fourth 
son,  William,  was  born  in  1774,  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  was 
appointed  one  of  the  two  associate  judges  of  Juniata  county 


8 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


March  4th,  1842,  and  died  December  21st,  1847.  The  wife  of 
the  first  Hugh  was  a  Miss  Harbison;  of  Major  Hugh,  Sarah 
Nelson;  and  of  Judge  William  McAllister,  Sarah  Thompson. 

The  second  son  and  third  child  of  the  last  two  named  was 
Thompson  McAllister,  who  was  born  August  30th,  1811,  at 
the  homestead  of  his  fathers.  Here,  under  the  healthful  exac- 
tions of  farm  life,  which  in  those  days  were  more  onerous  than 
now,  and  with  such  schooling  as  conditions  admitted,  he  grew 
into  early  maturity  of  mind  and  physique,  building  slowly  and 
well  the  character  which  late  in  life  was  to  stand  firm  amidst 
tests  the  most  arduous  and  harassing  Letters  and  recollections 
of  associates  give  us  glimpses  of  this  period. 

Money  on  the  farm  was  by  no  means  plentiful  and  collegiate 
education  for  all  the  sons  seemed  out  of  the  question.  The 
father  appreciated  the  need  of  thorough  instruction,  however, 
and  the  neighboring  school  was  used  and  training  given  by  the 
Eev.  John  Hutchinson,  the  pastor  of  their  church  (the  Presby- 
terian) and  a  noted  minister  of  the  county.  The  oldest  son,  Nel- 
son, was  being  trained  for  the  law  and  upon  the  younger  boys 
the  duty  devolved  of  defraying  the  expenses.  The  intense  per- 
sonal attachment  between  Thompson  and  Eobert  made  them  one 
in  their  work  in  the  field,  class-room  and  study-hour,  and  the 
aptitude  for  study  on  the  part  of  each  found  aid  in  an  inherent 
fondness  for  the  best  books  of  the  time  and  led  them  to  make 
constant  use  of  the  good  library  of  their  father.  Far  into  the 
night,  when  the  lights  of  other  rooms  were  only  the  flickering 
hearth -flames  thrown  upon  sleeping  occupants,  the  candle  in  the 
study -room  was  keeping  vigil  over  these  two  brothers,  resolute 
upon  the  acquisition  of  practical  learning.  This,  though  the 
day's  labor  might  have  been  heavy  and  the  morrow's  duties 
would  begin  before  day  break  and  on  rigid  schedule  time. 

The  two  boys  were  leaders  likewise  in  all  work  on  the  farm, 
their  father  being  three-score  when  Thompson  reached  his  ma- 
jority. An  interesting  reform  occurred  about  this  time  and  the 
fact  is  given  as  evidencing  the  sterling  and  aggressive  principles 
of  the  two  young  men.  Whiskey  in  harvest  time  was  deemed  as 
unquestionably  appropriate  as  the  harvest  moon  itself.  But  the 
great  Washingtonian  wave  of  temperance  had  just  swept  over 
the  country  and  carried  with  it  the  sympathies  of  the  brothers, 
and  it  became  their  mission  to  banish  brandy  from  the  farm. 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


9 


Their  father  indulged  himself  •■the  gentleman's  morning  dram'' 
and  had  not  become  a  convert  to  teetotalism.  The  rest  of  the 
household  linked  shields  with  the  boys.  Five  cents  per  day 
extra  was  allowed  each  laborer  as  compensation  for  the  loss  of 
his  bracer.  Xeighbors  predicted  that  the  wheat  would  rot  in  the 
field  for  the  want  of  harvesters.  Xot  so.  The  harvest  went 
smoothly  on  and  ^ ^hands''  were  to  be  had  in  abundance.  Eight 
principles  had  prevailed,  and  best  of  all  the  father,  with  just 
pride  in  his  sons,  and  convinced  of  the  efficiency  of  the  reform 
which  they  had  successfully  carried  through,  became  a  total  ab- 
stainer for  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

The  lapse  of  time  served  only  to  develop  these  principles  of 
temperance,  which  each  upheld  rigidly  in  the  subsequent  pur- 
suits of  peace  and  war.  A  correspondent  from  Juniata  county 
writes:  can  see  to  this  day  the  advantage  that  their  stand  on 
temperance  has  been  to  this  country.*' 

The  following  letter,  written  by  Judge  AVilliam  McAllister  to 
Xelson,  his  oldest  son,  who  was  then  awaj'  at  college,  is  illustra- 
tive of  some  facts  just  mentioned  and  serves  further  to  show  the 
uncompromising  opinions  which  His  Honor  held: 

"Lost  Creek  Valley,  14th  October,  1834. 

Dear  Sox: 

I  enclose  in  the  within  letter  seventy  dollars,  which  is  all 
that  I  can  raise  and  more  than  I  can  spare.  ^  *  ^  As  to  your  going  to 
Carlisle,  you  may  do  as  you  please.  The  only  thing  I  have  against  it  is 
the  want  of  money  and  another  thing  is  its  being  a  Methodist  institu- 
tion, an  institution  which  I  never  want  any  of  my  children  taught  in. 
*  ^  ^  I  am,  with  respect,  your  sincere  well  v/isher, 

\YM.  McALISTER." 

The  cares  of  the  farm  were  not  so  irksome,  however,  as  to  pre- 
clude social  enjoyment,  to  which  the  boys  took  an  early  liking. 
We  find  Thompson  twitting  Xelson  about  the  ''future  Mrs.  Mc- 
Allister," and  pledging  her  ''all  the  politeness  of  which  we  are 
masters'-'  upon  the  happy  consummation.  Politics  (of  another 
kind)  likewise  engaged  the  attention  of  the  boys,  and  the  debat- 
ing society  of  the  neighborhood  gave  frequent  opportunity  for 
the  development  and  acquisition  desired.  Thompson  writes  thus 
to  Xelson  under  date  of  February  23rd,  1835: 

"Mr.  J.  D.  W.  has,  contrary  to  my  expectation  and  contrary  to  his  own, 
acquired  no  inconsiderable  celebrity  in  the  art  of  speech-making.  He 
is  a  member  of  our  club,  which  is  of  no  small  reputation.    The  club  has 


10 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


been  in  active  operation,  meeting  once  a  fortnight,  all  winter.  We  dis- 
cussed the  question  'should  capital  punishment  be  abolished  ?'  It  was 
decided  in  the  affirmative.  We  meet  on  Friday  evening  to  discuss  the 
reprisal  and  French  war  question." 

A  facility  of  expression,  in  both  composition  and  delivery,  was 
here  learned  by  the  young  man,  who,  twenty-five  years  after- 
ward, made  good  use  of  it  in  his  country's  cause. 

But  that  which  proved  most  inviting  to  the  brothers  seems  to 
have  been  the  military  enterprise  of  the  community,  and  in  this, 
as  in  quite  all  things  else,  they  were  the  acknowledged  leaders. 
General  Eobert  McAllister,  in  a  letter  embodied  in  his  ''Sketch," 
writes  thus: 

"My  brother  Thompson  and  I  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  together,  study- 
ing military  tactics,  were  always  connected  with  military  companies, 
and  were  both  fond  of  drilling.  Little  did  either  of  us  theu  think  that 
the  time  was  coming  when  our  swords  would  be  drawn  against  each 
other  in  a  contest  that  threatened  the  destruction  of  our  country  and 
government.  But  such  was  the  fact.  Before  the  war  I  was  promoted 
from  a  Lieutenant  to  a  Captain,  then  to  Lieutenant-Colonel." 

At  an  early  age  Thompson  formed  an  artillery  company  of  about 
fifty  men  and  drill  was  held  four  times  a  year  in  an  old  still -house 
at  Oakland  Mills,  near  by .  From  its  place  of  meeting  the  company 
was  called  the  "still-house  artillery."  Its  iron  cannon  was 
housed  in  the  homestead  carriage-house,  and  only  one  man  of  the 
fifteen  hired  on  the  farm  could  move  the  piece.  Thompson  was 
Captain  of  this  company,  and  upon  his  removal  to  Franklin  county 
Eobert  was  elected  in  his  stead .  The  latter  soon  formed  a  cavalry 
company  in  which  there  were  seventeen  men  by  the  name  of 
Thompson,  all  finely  mounted  and  all  cousins  of  the  Captain. 
A  daughter  of  General  McAllister  writes: 

"When  father  was  lying  wounded  after  the  Gettysburg  fight  he  talked 
by  the  hours  of  those  days  and  of  his  brother  Thompson.  Their  devotion 
to  each  other  was  intense." 

In  ^N'ovember  1835,  Elizabeth,  the  youngest  daughter  of  the 
family,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  having  been  married 
but  a  few  months  more  than  one  year  to  David  W.  Stewart.  In 
her  prolonged  sickness  she  was  tenderly  nursed  by  Robert  and 
Thompson,  whose  devotion  to  her  was  as  strong  as  the  affection 
existing  between  themselves.  Her  fame  as  a  horse-woman  ex- 
tended throughout  the  whole  valley  and  county,  and  her  lovable 
traits  of  character  and  person  added  much  to  the  poignancy  of 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


11 


grief  over  her  early  death.  February  14th,  1839,  Thompson  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lydia  Miller  Addams,  daughter  of 
Abraham  Addams,  Esq.,  of  Millerstown,  Pa.,  a  union  which  has 
been  fruitful  and  happy.  The  young  couple  began  their  wedded 
life  in  Franklin  county,  near  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  upon  a  farm, 
''Spring  Dale,"  afterwards  deeded  to  them  by  Thompson's  father, 
and  here  were  born  the  four  older  children,  Clara,  Addams, 
William  and  Edgar. 

Captain  McAllister's  removal  from  Jnniata  county  caused  no 
abatement  of  his  interest  in  military  affairs,  as  the  next  para- 
graph will  prove.  Two  winters  ago  the  writer  found  among  the 
former's  papers  a  large  poster,  yellow  and  worn  with  age  and 
reading  thus: 

'"War  !!  War  !!  Artillerists,  attention  !  In  pursuance  of  General  Orders 
you  are  ordered  to  parade  at  the  Armory,  iu  full  winter  uniform,  on 
Thursday,  the  26th  instaot,  at  1  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  officers 
and  reporting  the  artiUery  ready  for  service.  Some  recuits  wanted  to  fill 
the  Company  to  the  complement  of  94  men.  P.  S. — Those  persons  who 
volunteered  their  services  in  May  last,  as  well  as  recuits,  will  appear  on 
parade  in  Citizen's  Dress. 

THOMPSON  MCALLISTER,  Captain. 
St.  Thomas,  November  24th,  1846. 

Six  volunteer  companies  were  called  for  by  the  Government, 
and  by  the  merest  accident — the  delay  in  getting  a  trunk -strap — 
Thompson's  company,  whose  services  had  been  tendered,  reached 
the  enrolling  quarters  thirty  minutes  after  the  sixth  had  been 
accepted.  Eobert  was  likewise  ready  to  enter  the  Mexican 
War,  but  Providence  had  in  view  more  stirring  sequels  still. 
Thompson  was  in  1847  elected  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Legislature,  serving  one  term,  and  in  December,  1819,  he  removed 
to  Virginia,  having  purchased  a  tract  of  2,200  acres  at  Covington 
in  that  State.  The  greater  portion  of  this  remains  in  possession 
of  the  several  branches  of  the  family,  the  brick  home,  '^Eose 
Dale,"  which  he  built,  being  now  occupied  by  his  widow.  AYith 
his  accustomed  energy  and  good  judgment  he  soon  placed  the 
farm  in  an  excellent  condition  of  productiveness  and  increasing 
valuation .  What  by  successive  improvements  are  now  the  Coving- 
ton Flouring  Mills  were  likewise  included  in  his  purchase  and 
were  under  his  prudent  supervision. 

The  public  spirit  of  Captain  McAllister  is  well  shown  in  the 
records  of  this  time.    He  strongly  advocated  the  construction  of 


12 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


the  Covington  &  Ohio  railway  so  as  to  connect  with  the  extension 
of  the  canal  to  that  town,  and  thns  bring  the  mountains  in 
living  connection  with  the  Tidewater  district  of  the  State.  His 
views  are  set  forth  in  a  paper  written  by  him  at  this  time,  and 
extracts  are  given  from  it  to  show  the  striking  similarity  of  his 
predictions  with  the  present  status,  1896; 

"Who  that  is  at  all  acquainted  with  the  history  of  tbe  iron  and  coal 
trade  of  Penosylvauia,  whose  iron  now  exceeds  iu  amount  the  manufac- 
ture of  England,  can  call  into  question  the  ability  of  this  region  in  its 
iron  alone  to  furnish  tonnage  to  an  incalculable  amount?  and  this,  too, 
with  the  more  certainty  when  we  consider  the  greater  richness  of  our 
ore,  the  superior  quality  of  our  metal,  and  the  ease  with  which  it  is 
mined.  ^  *  *  Covington  is  in  the  centre  of  the  county  of  Alleghany;  all 
the  principal  water  courses,  two  of  which  are  navigable,  and  all  the  turn- 
pikes and  county  roads,  converge  to  this  point.  The  water  power  in  the 
vicinity  is  immense.  It  is  in  the  heart  of  the  iron  region  of  central  Vir- 
ginia. It  has  been  estimated  by  those  who  have  the  best  opportunity  of 
information  that  there  is  iron  enough  within  ten  miles  of  Covington  to 
lay  all  the  railroads  in  the  United  States,  and  it  is  of  very  superior  excel- 
lence. That  now  manufacturing  commands  a  higher  price  than  any  sold 
iu  the  market.  The  mountains  will  supply  fuel  for  its  extensive  manu- 
facture until  the  completion  of  the  Covington  &  Ohio  road,  which  will 
then  furnish  a  supply  of  coal  for  time  to  come.  The  lumber  of  Alleghany 
must  have  a  cheap  mode  of  transit  or  remain  undisturbed  for  many 
years,  and  limestone  and  hydraulic  cemeut  abound  with  wood  and  water 
sufficient  to  make  them  useful."  * 

He  was  largely  instrumental  likewise  in  having  the  Central 
railroad  extended  to  Covington,  and  was  one  of  four  who  sub- 
scribed to  ten  shares  for  the  necessary  construction.  The  Cov- 
ington &  Ohio  and  the  Virginia  Central  railroads  joined  steel  at 
Covington  and  the  lines  are  now  part  of  the  Chesapeake  &  Ohio 
system.  Together  with  his  brother  Eobert  he  was  engaged  in 
construction  on  the  Covington  &  Ohio  when  Virginia  seceded. 

In  religious  affairs  Captain  McAllister  was  none  the  less  active 
and  progressive.  He  had  early  espoused  the  faith  of  his  fathers 
and  soon  after  his  removal  to  Virginia  was  ordained  one  of  the 
ruling  elders  of  the  Covington  Church,  a  position  which  he  faith- 
fully filled  until  his  death.  By  continuous  effort  and  by  expen- 
diture proportioned  to  a  liberal  purse,  he  came  soon  to  be  re- 
garded as  the  strongest  supporter  of  the  church's  work,  and  the 
systematic  diligence  applied  to  secular  affairs  as  thoroughly 
characterized  his  labors  for  the  Master.    Intimately  associated 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


13 


with  this  line  of  effort  were  his  affiliations  with  various  tem- 
perance organizations  of  the  county.  In  1855  we  find  him  Treas- 
urer of  the  '^Cadets  of  Temperance,"  in  1860,  Deputy  Grand 
Worthy  Patriarch  of  the  "Sons  of  Temperance,"  and  as  late  as 
April,  1870,  he  was  one  of  two  District  delegates  to  the  convention 
of  the  "Friends  of  Temperance,"  held  in  Waynesboro,  being  at 
that  time  Vice-President  of  Covington  District,  which  embraced 
the  counties  of  Bath  and  Alleghany.  The  great  executive  ability 
of  the  man  becomes  pre-eminent  when  we  consider  that  besides 
all  this,  he  was  managing  his  more  than  two  thousand  acres, 
equipping  his  farm  with  the  most  modern  of  improvements,  and 
finding  time  beside  to  actively  engage  in  the  exciting  political 
canvasses  of  the  day .  Small  wonder,  then,  that  at  sixty  he  de- 
clares himself  "an  old  man,  broken  down  with  labor  and  care." 


14 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


CHAPTER  M. 


NTIL  the  beginning  of  the  war,  Captain  McAllister  was  an 


^  ''Old-Line  Whig"  in  political  affiliation,  and  in  1860  he 
worked  and  voted  for  the  "American"  candidates,  Bell  and  Ev- 
erett, for  President  and  Vice-President,  and  for  Colonel  Thomas 
Sitlington,  of  Bath  county,  a  successful  Union  candidate,  for  the 
State  Convention. 

To  point  out,  even  briefly,  the  causes  of  the  great  war  which 
soon  followed  does  not  lie  within  the  limits  or  purpose  of  this 
sketch.  In  passing  it  may  be  remarked,  however,  that  slavery 
was  the  cause  of  the  struggle  only  in  that  it  furnished  the  occa- 
sion for  denial  of  guaranteed  rights  and  for  coercion  arbitrary 
and  unconstitutional.  As  independent  sovereignties  the  States 
had  given  assent  to  the  compact  designed  to  unite  them  against 
foreign  invasion  and  in  so  doing  they  made  no  surrender  of  orig- 
inal rights,  at  the  very  bottom  of  which  lay  the  right  of  seced- 
ing when  forbearance  should  cease  to  be  a  virtue.  The  wisdom 
of  this  policy  is  an  open  ciuestion,  but  the  fact  of  its  existence 
remains  forever  impregnable. 

"Davis  in  irons  flung  down  the  gauntlet  to  Chase  in  the  seat  of  power. 
The  glove  lies  to-day  unlifted.  Lodge  and  Seeley,  sturdy  scholars  of 
constitutional  history,  conceded  that  the  South  stood  four  square  and 
stout  in  truth  on  the  great  document  of  freedom.  If  three  millions  of 
the  subjects  of  a  monarchy  got  to  themselves  unfading  glory  of  resisting 
a  king,  were  five  millions  of  their  sous  rebels  for  repelling  the  assaults  of 
copartners  in  a  republic  where  coercion  contradicts  their  creed  of  liberty 
and  surrenders  Wasbiugtou  to  the  halter  of  George  IV?" 

Aside  from  this,  the  extension  of  slavery  was  neither  designed 
nor  desired  by  the  Confederacy.  Its  constitution  expressly  for- 
bade the  re-opening  of  the  slave  trade  and  "while  that  constitu- 
tion gave  slave-holders  the  express  right  to  carry  their  slaves 
into  any  territory  belonging  to  the  Confederacy,  it  also  provided 
that  when  that  territory  became  a  State  it  should  be  slave-hold- 
ing or  free,  according  to  the  will  of  its  citizens." 

These  unanswerable  facts  are  pertinent  to  what  follows. 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


15 


In  March,  1861,  Captain  McAllister  raised,  and  at  his  own  ex- 
pense largely  eqnipped,  the  first  volnnteer  company,  for  the  war, 
in  Alleghany  and  in  that  section  of  the  State.  This  was  the  '^Al- 
leghany Light  Infantry,"  by  some  of  their  own  members  nick- 
named ''The  Alleghany  Eonghs."  The  companj^  was  organized 
and  disciplined  for  the  purpose  of  being  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  Governor  of  Virginia  whenever  the  convention  then  in  session 
should  determine  the  side  Virginia  was  to  espouse.  The  ordinance 
of  secession  was  passed  the  night  of  April  17th,  and  Captain  Mc- 
Allister immediately  made  tender  of  the  company's  services  to 
the  Governor,  arriving  on  the  evening  of  April  22nd  at  Staunton, 
the  military  rendezvous.  The  company  returned  to  Covington  a 
few  days  later  and  after  rigid  drill  by  the  Captain,  was  ordered 
to  Harper's  Ferry.  One  or  two  temporary  assignments  preceded 
the  permanent  assignment  of  the  command  as  Company  A,  27th 
Virginia.  This  was  one  of  the  five  regiments  constituting  Jack- 
son's original  "Stonewall  Brigade."  After  remaining  at  Har- 
per's Ferry  picketing  and  drilling,  the  army  was  ordered  up  the 
valley  toward  Winchester. 

The  first  engagement,  after  a  forced  march,  was  at  immortal 
Manassas,  July  21st,  1861.  In  this  battle  Captain  McAllister  re- 
organized and  led  his  broken  regiment  in  their  daring  second 
charge,  which  in  General  Jackson's  opinion  contributed  largely 
to  the  ultimate  and  successful  advance  movement  and  rout  of  the 
enemy.  In  the  Century  of  i^ovember,  1891,  General  Beauregard 
presents  a  masterly  description  of  this  battle  as  viewed  in  its 
general  plan  and  execution.  After  detailing  the  first  of  the  two 
decisive  charges  of  the  day  (July  21st)  he  continues: 

"I  determined  to  make  another  effort  for  the  recovery  of  the  plateau, 
aud  ordered  a  charge  of  the  entire  line  of  battle  including  the  reserves, 
which  at  this  crisis  I  myself  led  into  action.  The  movement  of  the  seve- 
ral commands  was  made  v/ith  such  keeping  and  dash  that  the  whole  sur- 
face of  the  plateau  was  swept  clear  of  the  enemy,  who  were  driven  down 
the  slope  and  across  the  turnpike  on  our  right  and  the  valley  of  Young's 
Branch  on  our  left,  leaving  in  our  final  possession  the  Robinson  and 
Henry  houses,  with  most  of  Rickett's  and  Griffin's  batteries,  the  men 
of  which  were  mostly  shot  down  where  they  bravely  stood  by  their 
guns." 

It  is  a  point  worthy  of  notice  that  General  Beauregard  indi- 
cates the  relative  position  of  the  troops  placed  at  this  strategic 
and  perilous  situation  w^ith  reference  to  the  'Stonewall'  Brigade, 


16 


THOMPSON  McAllister, 


which  had  won  its  immortal  soubriquet  at  the  same  spot  a  short 
while  before  the  two  onsets  above  referred  to  were  made.  The 
events  of  the  day  amply  justified  the  distinction.  Of  the  regi- 
ments composing  the  brigade  the  33rd  Virginia  was  placed  at  the 
extreme  left  of  the  army  and  throughout  the  action  was  subjected 
to  an  enfiladed  fire  from  the  enemy,  who  were  making  a  flank 
movement.  The  27th  Virginia  was  immediately  to  the  right  of  the 
33rd.  A.fter  going  into  camp  at  Centerville  much  empty  boast- 
ing was  indulged  in  by  officers  and  privates  of  some  of  the  com- 
panies, and  regiments  as  to  the  conspicuous  part  they  had  played 
in  the  sanguinary  drama  just  enacted.  In  order  to  reduce  these 
pretensions  to  the  sphere  of  facts  Captain  McAllister  prepared 
the  following  carefully  written  statement,  which  was  found  among 
his  large  collection  of  papers.    It  is  given  verbatim: 

"MANASSAS." 

"Between  1  and  2  o'clock  on  the  18th  the  27th  Regiment  left  Winches- 
ter for  Manassas  and  by  a  forced  march  and  by  railroad  reached  Manassas 
the  evening  of  the  19th.  Saturday,  the  20th,  was  spent  in  awaiting  an 
attack.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  21st  booming  of  artillery  warned 
us  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  Four  regiments  of  Jackson's  Brigade 
were  kept  in  reserve  until  the  enemy's  movements  could  be  more  fully 
demonstrated.  About  12  o'clock  the  Brigade  was  placed  in  the  rear  of 
our  artillery  near  the  Henry  House,  to  which  place  our  forces  had  re- 
treated before  the  advancing  enemy — the  distance  of  a  mile.  Flat  upon 
the  ground  for  two  and  one-half  hours  we  maintained  our  position  without 
firing  a  gun — cannon-balls  flying  thick  over  our  heads,  and  minnie-balls 
killing  and  wounding  our  men  from  the  left.  At  half-past  two  Preston 
and  Echols  charged  forward,  whilst  Allen  and  Cummings  charged  on  our 
left  flank,  and  the  artillery  retired,  leaving  the  contest  to  the  infantry. 

"Sixty-six  men  crossed  over.  Blank  remained  at  Manassas.  My  com- 
mand numbered  sixty-three  men.  In  coming  forward  by  regiment  our 
lines  became  broken.  I  enquired  of  the  Colonel  the  order  of  attack,  to 
which  he  immediately  replied,  'By  company.'  Facing  my  men  by  flank, 
they  were  brought  [revised  from  'I  brought  them']  to  within  gunshot 
and  then  into  company, — fired  and  ordered  to  load  and  fire  at  will, — 
aim  well, — when  each  man  lay  flat  on  the  ground  or  took  to  a  shelter. 
After  some  four  to  six  fires,  finding  the  other  forces  did  not  come  up  and 
that  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  greatly  superior  in  number,  was  drawn  to 
us,  I  ordered  my  men  to  fall  back  and  raUy,  which  order  was  promptly 
obeyed.  Some  eight  or  ten  of  my  men,  having  moved  to  the  right  some 
distance,  did  not  hear  the  order  to  fall  back  nor  observe  our  movement, 
and  continued  to  engage  the  enemy  with  good  effect.  Every  other  man 
except  the  wounded  and  their  attendants  rallied  immediately  some  one 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


17 


hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  the  rear,  at  which  point  I  expected  to  find 
the  regiment,  but  in  this  I  was  disappointed. 

"The  field  olficers  not  being  present  and  the  companies  scattered,  sev- 
eral officers  with  a  few  of  their  men  formed  on  my  company  preparatory 
to  a  second  charge.  The  number  of  men  willing  to  join  me  was  quite  in- 
considerable, although  hundreds  in  our  rear  standing  idle  were  appealed 
to  by  me  with  all  the  entreaties  and  urgent  appeals  of  which  I  was 
capable, — telling  them  with  their  aid  the  field  would  be  ours  in  ten 
minutes.  At  this  instant  an  officer  rode  near  by  whom  I  addressed  thus: 
'Can  you  aid  us  in  charging  the  enemy?  I  do  not  know  where  my  field- 
officers  are  and  I  am  but  a  captain.  With  an  increased  force  we  can 
drive  the  enemy.  Bring  your  force  and  I  will  fight  under  you.'  With 
a  promise  to  re-enforce  me,  he  rode  toward  the  left  twenty  or  thirty  paces 
and  was  seen  by  some  of  my  men  to  fall  from  his  horse,  yet  I  was  not 
aware  of  this  fact  until  the  battle  was  over,  but  supposed  his  forces  were 
too  much  scattered,  or  engaged  with  the  enemy  elsewhere.  This  officer 
was  doubtless  Colonel  Bartow,  as  the  time  and  place  of  his  fall  are 
identical. 

"During  this  time  every  efTort  was  made  by  myself  and  other  officers 
to  rally  to  our  aid  the  men  in  the  rear,  with  but  little  success.  With  a 
prospect  of  being  re-inforced  from  these  two  sources,  but  not  having  in- 
formed my  men  nor  officers  of  it,  and  whilst  I  was  urging  the  men  in 
our  rear,  at  some  twenty-five  or  more  yards  distant,  a  forward  movement 
was  commenced  and  it  became  necessary  for  me  to  hasten  forward  to 
share  the  honor  and  the  danger  with  them  of  one  of  the  most  daring 
and  successful  charges  of  that  memorable  day. 

"To  the  cowardice  of  those  in  our  rear  is  to  be  attributed  the  loss  of  so 
many  men.  We  met  the  enemy  five  to  one  and  after  desperate  resist- 
ance drove  them  from  the  field.  Of  those  at  the  cannon  the  officers  and 
gunners  fell  before  our  marksmen  and  when  they  were  hitching  to  take 
off  the  artillery  their  last  horses  were  shot  down,  and  those  who  re- 
mained retreated,  leaving  three  pieces  of  artillery  on  the  field,  one  of 
which  they  had  captured  in  the  morning  from  Captain  Imboden.  The 
colors  of  the  1st  Michigan  regiment  were  captured  and  the  bearer  made 
a  prisoner  by  James  Glenn,  private  of  my  company.  Our  prisoners  were 
at  first  handed  over  to  those  who  would  take  charge  of  them,  my  men 
having  other  duties  to  perform.  At  the  close  of  the  action  I  pressed 
as  a  guard  a  sergeant  and  two  privates  in  whose  charge  I  put  three  pris- 
oners, who  were  taken  to  Manassas." 

In  giving  the  list  of  the  men  who  were  in  the  charge  Captain 
McAllister  adds;  ''Blank  was  at  the  Jnnction  and  onght  to  have 
been  in  the  fight.  P.  J.  received  a  slight  wonnd  and  was  seen 
no  more." 

A  personal  letter  to  the  writer  from  U.  S.  Senator  John  W. 
Daniel  corroborates  the  above  and  furnishes  added  testimony  re- 
specting the  charge  first  made: 


18 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


"I  was  attached  to  Company  C,  27th  Regnnent.  *  *  We  were  placed 
iu  position  on  the  battle-field  with  the  4th  Regiment  in  front,  com- 
manded by  Colonel  James  Preston,  and  the  27th  close  behind  it,  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Echols.  *  *  For  an  hour  or  so 
we  lay  upon  the  ground  receiving  a  hot  fire,  but  with  no  opportunity  to 
reply.  After  we  had  been  in  this  position  some  hours  General  T.  J.  Jack- 
son rode  to  the  right  of  our  line  and  calling  for  Colonel  Preston  of  the 
4th  Regiment  exclaimed,  "Order  the  men  to  stand  up."  Both  lines — 
the  4th  and  the  27th — arose,  and  he  exclaimed,  "We'll  charge  them  now 
and  drive  them  to  W  ashington."  We  advanced  rapidly,  moving  obliquely 
to  the  left  to  clear  our  own  guns.  The  men  of  the  two  regiments  were 
soon  bunched  and  at  a  double  quick  went  over  the  hill  in  front  under  a 
heavy  fire  from  the  enemy's  batteries,  which  opened  upon  us.  We  car- 
ried the  battery  stationed  at  the  Henry  House,  and  it  was  there  that  I 
saw  your  grandfather.  Captain  Thompson  McAllister,  passing  by  the 
enemy's  guns,  sword  in  hand,  and  his  son  William  at  his  side.  They 
were  to  the  right  of  our  regiment,  which  was  now  much  scattered,  no 
line  being  preserved.  At  about  this  time  our  colors  fell  and  I  ran  to  them, 
and  was  shot  in  the  right  breast  and  in  the  left  hip.  I  did  not  see  Cap- 
tain McAllister  again.  He  was  very  near  the  Henry  House  when  I  saw 
him  and  was  evidently  doing  his  duty  bravely  as  was  his  son  by  his  side. 
I  was  well  to  the  front,  as  was  Captain  McAllister,  with  perhaps  not  six 
men  of  the  regiment  closer  to  the  enemy." 

The  eight  or  ten  members  spoken  of  as  detached  from  the  com- 
pany pressed  on  to  the  Henry  House,  so  I  have  it  from  one  of 
them,  took  shelter  behind  it,  and  picked  off  several  skirmishers 
from  the  advance  line  of  the  enemy.  It  was  at  this  time  that 
^'Jackson's  brigade  pierced  the  enemy's  centre,"  to  use  the  words 
of  General  Beauregard.  A  glance  at  the  first  letter  will  reveal 
the  daring  displayed  by  the  ^'command  which  numbered  sixty - 
three  men."  Rallying  to  a  man,  it  became  the  nucleus  for  other 
commands  and  was  with  its  complement  in  the  forefront  of  the 
second  and  permanently  successful  charge  and  maintained,  as 
few  companies  were  able  to  do,  a  compact  unity  throughout  the 
crisis  then  ensuing.  Six  of  the  sixty-three  were  killed  and  a 
number  wounded.  One  was  pierced  with  five  buck-shot  and  still 
lives.  The  captain  received  a  slight  leg  wound. — ''The  other  du- 
ties to  perform"  were  further  pursuit  and  capture  of  the  retreat- 
ing forces.  For  the  conspicuous  service  rendered  on  that  day 
the  company  was  made  Jackson's  favorite  artillery  force  and  was 
known  throughout  the  war  as  "Carpenter's  Battery,"  taking  its 
name  from  the  captain  succeeding  McAllister. 

Strange  the  fortunes  of  war.    In  this  battle  Robert  McAllis 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


19 


ter,  the  comrade-brother  of  Thompson,  commanded  one  of  the 
two  regiments  that  attempted  to  check  the  stampede  which  the 
latter's  regiment  had  been,  as  we  have  just  seen,  so  largely  in- 
strumental in  producing.  Another  striking  coincidence  lies  in 
Stonewall  Jackson's  remark  that  the  First  New  Jersey  (Robert 
McAllister's)  regiment  ^'was  the  finest  body  of  troops"  at  First 
Manassas  ''he  ever  saw."  The  brothers,  so  closely  associated  in 
youth,  were  now  pitted  each  patriotically  against  the  other.  This 
fact,  together  with  the  intrinsic  interest  of  the  description  itself, 
renders  opportune  and  appropriate  an  extract  from  ''New  Jersey 
and  the  Eebellion,"  defining  the  position  of  Robert  McAllister 
in  this  battle: 

"Robert  McAllister  was  Lieuteuant-Colouel  of  the  First  Regiment,  New 
Jersey  Volunteers,  enlisted  for  three  years'  service.  They  left  Trenton, 
New  Jersey,  June  28th,  1861,  and  reported  to  General  Scott  at  Washing- 
ton on  June  29th,  1861. 

"The  regiment  formed  part  of  General  Runyon's  Division  of  Reserves 
in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21st,  1861,  and  aided  materially  in  assist- 
ing the  retreat  of  our  forces  on  that  fateful  day. 

"The  First  and  Second  New  Jersey  Regiments  were  on  the  morning 
of  July  21st  encamped  at  Vienna,  Lieutenant-Colonel  McAllister  in  com- 
mand of  the  former.  Three  of  the  companies  of  the  First  New  Jersey 
were  absent  on  a  reconnaisance  when  orders  came  for  an  advance  of  the 
two  regiments  to  Centreville.  This  order  was  promptly  obeyed,  the  reg- 
iments hurrying  forward  with  all  possible  haste,  encountering  now  and 
then  a  civilian  anxious  to  get  beyond  the  reach  of  possible  harm,  but 
unable  to  gather  any  satisfactory  information  as  to  the  progress  of  the 
conflict.  Presently,  as  they  approached  Centreville,  the  guns  whose  sul- 
len roar  had  filled  all  the  morning  suddenly  ceased  firing,  and  theu,  for 
the  first  time,  these  New  Jersey  troops,  marching  steadily  forward,  knew 
that  the  battle  was  decided.  The  answer  as  to  how  it  was  decided  was 
soon  given  by  the  confused  masses  of  the  retreating  army,  drifting  down 
by  every  available  channel  from  the  disastrous  field.  It  was  a  sad  and 
bitter  awakening  to  the  advancing  troops,  but  they  did  not  falter  in  their 
duty.  The  commandants  of  the  regiments  (First  New  Jersey  and  Sec- 
ond New  Jersey)  determined  at  once  to  employ  all  the  means  at  their 
disposal  to  arrest  the  stampede,  and  throwing  their  columns  across  the 
road,  sought  to  stay  the  fugitives,  appealing  to  their  patriotism,  their 
honor,  their  sense  of  duty,  to  gather  once  more  in  line  and  make  another 
efTort  to  save  the  day.  But  for  a  time  so  great  was  the  panic  that  no  at- 
tention was  paid  to  these  urgent  appeals.  Then  it  being  apparent  that 
more  vigorous  persuasion  was  required,  the  regiments  charged  with  fixed 
bayonets  upon  the  bewildered  mass  and  soon  efiectually  arrested  the  re- 
treat, permitting  only  the  wounded  to  pass  through  the  lines.  The  First 
Regiment  alone  turned  into  its  ranks  some  five  hundred  of  the  fugitives. 


20 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


marching  straight  through  their  retreating  columns.  In  some  cases  the 
olficers  drew  their  swords  and  pistols  on  men  and  officers  who  refused, 
upon  appeals  to  a  sense  of  honor,  to  turn  back.  As  the  regiments  ad- 
vanced cheer  upon  cheer  greeted  them  from  the  fugitives  who,  as  they 
saw  help  in  sight,  grew  more  calm  and  courageous.  Many  fell  in  line 
while  others  encouraged  the  advancing  Jerseymen  with  applauding 
words.  It  was  now  nearly  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  stam- 
pede was  stopped,  the  road  had  been  cleared  and  regulated,  the  army 
wagons  halted,  still  in  line,  on  one  side  of  the  pike,  and  order  had  come 
out  of  chaos,  solely  through  the  efTorts  of  two  New  Jersey  regiments. 
By  this  time  the  First  New  Jersey  Regiment  had  reached  the  heights  of 
Centreville,  and  by  sun-down  the  greater  part  of  the  retreating  troops 
had  found  shelter  behind  the  ridge.  *  *  *  The  First  New  Jersey  Regi- 
ment advanced  to  a  point  beyond  Centreville  where  it  took  up  position 
on  the  hill,  with  its  right  resting  on  the  road  by  which  it  would  be  ne- 
cessary for  the  enemy  to  advance.  ^  *  *  Finally,  during  the  night,  the 
First  New  Jersey  Regiment  being  left  alone  on  the  field,  it  was  decided 
that  there  was  no  alternative  but  to  fall  back,  and  directions  accordingly 
were  at  once  given." 

It  is  pertinent  to  give  just  here  the  answer  which  Captain  Mc- 
Allister makes  to  the  complaints  of  a  few  of  his  men  ambitious 
to  usurp  office.  These  complaints  were  preferred  before  the 
battle  and  asked  to  be  withdrawn  the  morning  after  it.  True 
dignity  and  force  rings  in  these  sentences,  written  after  the  with- 
drawal was  asked  for: 

"My  men  may  consider  me,  as  I  certainly  am,  more  strict  than  any  other 
Captain  in  the  27th.  *  *  In  all  the  essential  qualities  of  a  commander  of 
a  company,  I  do  not  feel  myself  inferior  to  any  captain  in  the  regiment. 
^  *  *  Having  discharged  my  duty  conscientiously,  faithfully,  and  I  be- 
lieve efficiently,  without  effort  to  gain  favor  or  to  publish  even  to  the  men 
what  I  had  done  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  their  favor;  having  gone  into 
the  service  at  a  great  sacrifice  and  loss  in  my  business;  having  contribu- 
ted in  means  more  than  all  the  members  put  together,  loans  still  unpaid 
and  unsecured,  a  due  self-respect  forbids  that  I  should  yield  to  such  in- 
fluence and  resign  my  commission,  however  unpleasant  it  might  be  to 
hold  it."  . 

Immediately  following  this  incident,  however.  Captain  Mc- 
Allister was  attacked  with  camp  fever  in  quarters  at  Centerville. 
The  wearisome  marches  and  exposure  just  preceding  the  fight 
were  borne  by  him  at  fifty  years  with  such  unflinching  fortitude 
as  to  be  remarked  upon  by  his  men.  This  but  hastened  the  re- 
action, and  the  cares  of  large  and  unsettled  business  interests, 
which  at  great  sacrifice  he  had  abruptly  left  behind,  further  ac- 
centuated the  progress  of  his  illness  and  rendered  his  presence 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


21 


at  home  doubly  necessary.  He  therefore  applied  for  a  furlough, 
which  so  anxious  was  General  Jackson  to  have  granted  that, 
after  the  first  application  had  been  refused  by  General  Johnston, 
he  came  to  Captain  McAllister's  tent  and  urged  him  to  renew  his 
application,  promising  his  ''special  recommendation"  for  ap- 
proval by  Generals  Beauregard  and  Johnston.  This  application 
was  likewise  returned  "disapproved,"  necessitating,  on  August 
8th,  the  employment  of  the  alternative,  resignation  of  command. 
During  and  prior  to  his  illness  a  strong  personal  attachment, 
based  upon  the  recognition  by  each  of  true  bravery  in  the  other, 
had  been  cemented  between  General  Jackson  and  himself,  and 
even  after  the  latter 's  return  home  upon  the  acceptance  of  his 
resignation,  August  20th,  warm  wishes  and  messages  from  the 
great  chieftain  followed  him  in  his  further  and  separated  service. 

^^either  sickness  nor  business,  as  the  preceding  paragraph  an- 
ticipated, was  made  a  reason  for  inactivity.  His  health  recov- 
ered. Captain  McAllister  was  anxious  to  be  again  in  the  field. 
He  writes  thus  to  a  friend  under  date  of  October  26th,  1861: 

"As  time  passes  aud  I  see  the  importance  of  an  early  and  vigorous  ef- 
fort on  our  part  to  repel  the  invaders  of  our  soil,  do  I  feel  there  is  yet 
something  for  me  to  do  iu  aid  of  my  country,  in  disciplining,  and,  if  need 
be,  leading,  our  soldiers  to  the  conflict.  In  my  last  interview  with  you,  and 
afterwards  in  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Rosser,  I  doubtless  made  the  im- 
pression that  I  would  not  be  likely  to  take  a  position  that  would  take  me 
out  of  the  State.  On  more  mature  reflection  I  conclude  it  is  not  for  me 
to  choose  the  scene  of  my  future  action,  but  rather  to  enquire  where  I 
can  afford  the  most  efficient  service.  Having  transacted  the  most  impor- 
tant of  my  business,  I  feel  that  I  ought  to  return  to  the  service." 

Words  characteristic  of  the  man! 

In  accordance  with  this  declaration  he  was,  before  the  year 
closed,  placed  in  command  of  all  the  home-guards  and  reserves  in 
the  Alleghany  section,  a  territory  in  which  invasions  of  the 
enemy  were  frequent  aud  precipitate.  He  continued  in  com- 
mand of  these  border  forces  until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  his 
carefully -kept  records  of  this  time  throw  light  no  less  upon  the 
dangers  which  this  service  entailed  than  unconsciously  upon  the 
principles  of  the  man  himself.  Among  other  organizations  a 
company  of  Mounted  Riflemen,  to  serve  without  pay,  was  raised 
for  the  defense  of  the  Greenbrier  District,  and  Captain  McAllis- 
ter chosen  as  its  commander.  Contributions  for  clothing  and 
equipping  the  company  were  "to  be  paid  in  over-coats,  blankets, 


22 


THOMPSON  McALLISTEIt. 


socks,  &c.,  at  a  fair  valuation,  or  in  the  use  of  horses  at  govern- 
ment rates,  in  lieu  of  money,  so  far  as  the  subscribers  shall  offer 
to  do  so." 

In  March,  1862,  resolutions  presented  by  Captain  McAllister 
were  passed  by  the  citizens  requiring  all  slaves  to  be  in  their 
cabins  by  9:30  P.  M.,  and  ^^ovember  17th,  of  the  same  year,  a 
public  meeting  was  held  at  the  court-house  in  Covington,  the  ob- 
ject being  to  ''provide  means  for  the  support  of  soldiers'  fami- 
lies; to  regulate  the  price  of  grain  and  of  all  manufactured  and 
other  articles  for  sale  in  the  county,"  and  to  provide  clothing  and 
blankets  for  the  indigent  soldiery.  The  prices  tell  between  the 
lines:  Wheat,  per  bushel,  $3;  corn,  $2;  rye,  $2;  bacon,  per  hun- 
dred, $35.00;  calf-skin  boots,  $20.00;  jeans,  first  quality,  $4;  salt, 
10  cents  per  pound,  and  flour,  $15  per  barrel,  are  but  a  few  ran- 
dom examples  of  the  general  stringency.  The  writer  has  another 
illustration  of  this  in  the  shape  of  a  muddy -brown  envelope  bear- 
ing stamps  on  both  sides  of  the  address  sheet.  The  habit  of 
turning  the  envelope  wrong  side  out  for  a  second  use  became  more 
and  more  fixed  with  the  scarcity  of  paper  and  funds. 

Company  A  of  the  ''Alleghany  Home  Guards"  was  organized 
the  17th  of  August,  1863,  and  Captain  McAllister  was  elected 
commander  of  this  organization  also  and  was  commissioned  as 
such  by  the  Governor  the  14th  of  the  following  month.  What 
this  company  became  the  means  of  accomplishing  and  what  the 
dangers  were,  is  set  forth  in  the  following  stirring  appeal,  writ- 
ten and  issued  by  Captain  McAllister,  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee for  the  purpose: 

To  the  men  of  Alleghany  not  under  arms: 

In  the  name  of  God  and  our  country  we  admonish  you  to  organ- 
ize, that  you  may  be  ready  to  repel  the  invader  at  his  coming.  As  mem- 
bers of  the  Home  Guard  at  Covington  we  address  you,  and  hesitate  not 
to  claim  for  our  company  the  credit  of  saving  Alleghany  (except  the 
Callaghau  road)  from  devastation.  This  was  effected  by  watching  the 
movements  of  the  enemy  and  in  giving  timely  notice  to  our  army  and 
the  Home  Guards  of  adjacent  counties,  which  brought  them  to  our  relief. 
May  we  not  reasonably  expect  other  companies  of  the  county  to  co-ope- 
rate with  us  should  there  be  other  raids  ? 

The  country  does  not  expect  of  you  impossibilities.  To  dispute  the 
pass  with  fifty  times  your  number  would  be  rash  and  iueflectual.  The 
duties  of  Home  Defenders  are: 

1st,  To  ascertain  our  danger. 

2nd,  To  remove  property  and  protect  it. 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


23 


3rd,  To  iiuite  with  the  army  and  other  Home  Guards  in  resisting  the 
invaders. 

These  duties  are  plain,  simple  and  within  the  power  of  every  man 
who  has  health  and  strength  enough  to  perform  any  kind  of  manual  la- 
bor. There  is  yet  but  one  company  in  the  county,  while  there  is  mate- 
rial for  four  or  five.  Botetourt,  Rockbrige  and  Augusta  have  each  a  reg- 
iment, leaving  scarcely  a  man  behind,  and  these  few  are  pointed  at  either 
as  cowards  or  against  us.  We  know  well  that  neither  opposition  nor 
cowardice  controls  your  action  in  this  matter.  Why,  then,  stand  you 
idle?  Your  country  demands  your  help.  Strike  as  you  have  opportu- 
nity and  let  your  action  be  united,  vigorous,  timely.  Organize  without 
delay.  Excellent  arms  and  ammunition  for  one  company  are  waiting 
for  you.  Let  it  not  be  said  they  shall  be  sent  back  for  want  of  men  to 
use  them. 

Your  services,  like  ours,  are  indispensable  at  home,  alike  to  your  fam- 
ilies and  to  your  country.  Let  us  now  assure  the  army  aud  the  country 
that  we  are  no  less  patriotic  than  those  in  the  field.  Let  us  swear  by  the 
precious  memory  of  those  who  have  fallen  in  our  cause,  that  by  united 
and  vigorous  effort  we  will  ward  off  the  blow  which  would  otherwise  fall 
upon  others  whilst  we  are  guarding  our  own  hearths  from  desecration; 
and  to  this  end  we  pledge  our  lives,  our  fortune  and  our  sacred  honor. 

Posterity  will  point  the  finger  of  scorn  at  the  man,  physically  able, 
who  fails  to  aid  iu  this  gigantic,  this  glorious  struggle  for  liberty  and 
national  existence.  Is  there  a  man  in  Alleghany  who  will  thus  refuse? 
If  so  let  his  name  be  recorded  that  posterity  may  deal  with  him  and  his 
memory  according  to  his  deserts.    Signed  on  behalf  of  the  company, 

T.  MCALLISTER,  Captain, 
A.  B.  PERSINGER,  l8t  Lieutenant. 
November  24th,  1863.  J.  H.  BEARD,  2nd  Lieutenant.'' 

But  darker  days  still  were  ahead  for  the  Confederacy,  and  no 
doubt  it  was  a  sorrowing  assembly  that  gathered  in  the  Coviug- 
higton  Conrt-hoiise  the  22nd  of  February,  1865.  Yet  all  hope 
had  not  fled  aud  the  resolve  to  yet  more  determined  resistance 
nerved  the  heart  aud  arm  of  these  Alleghany  patriots.  Ou  that 
occasion  Captain  McAllister  made  the  following  remarks: 

"We  have  met  together  this  evening  for  the  purpose  of  doing  honor  to 
our  country's  brave  defenders.  All  those  who  have  stood  under  the  flag  of 
our  country,  those  who  have  been  honorably  discharged,  as  well  as  those 
who  are  listed  to  still  further  battle  with  the  foe,  are  most  cordially  in- 
vited to  come.  If  there  be  any  present  who  have  deserted  our  country 
in  the  hour  of  her  need,  such  are  out  of  place.  But  I  trust  none  such 
are  here  and  certainly  none  such  are  desired  except  as  repentant  otTeud- 
ers  returning  to  the  allegiance  of  their  country. 

"I  am  proud  of  my  own  sons.  I  am  proud  of  the  sons  of  Alleghany. 
I  am  proud  of  the  sons  of  Virginia,  who  have  battled  so  nobly  in  our 
country's  cause.    Contrary  to  the  expectation  of  the  Northern  people, 


24 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


Virginia,  at  tlie  commeucement  of  this  war,  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty, 
declared  herself  through  the  ballot-box  to  be  a  free  and  independent 
State,  and  her  people  have  made  good  that  declaration  on  every  battle- 
field. ■=<-  ^ 

"Our  own  county  furnished,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  more 
men  voluntarily  than  any  other  county;  it  has  from  time  to  time  contrib- 
uted liberally  of  those  that  remained,  and  from  First  Manassas,  where 
many  of  our  boys  poured  out  their  life's  blood,  to  the  close  of  the  cam- 
paign of  1864,  no  better  soldiers  have  fought  through  this  war  than  have 
gone  from  our  midst,  and,  except  for  the  Western  hordes,  the  moral  at- 
mosphere is  so  pure  that  in  it  no  deserter  can  live.  Our  soldiers  are 
worthy  and  our  people  desire  to  bestow  gratitude  with  a  liberal  hand.  The 
soldiers  in  the  field  know  but  little  of  the  estimation  in  which  their  ser. 
vices  are  held  by  the  people  at  home,  and  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  assuring 
you  of  their  appreciation  that  we  have  asked  you  to  meet  us  here  to-day. 

"We  know  well  that  if  you  and  your  compatriots  in  arms  fail  in  duty 
but  one  day,  the  iron  heel  of  Abe  Lincoln  will  be  upon  our  necks;  liberty 
will  wing  her  flight  from  this  land;  our  men  who  escape  with  their  lives 
will  be  incarcerated  in  Northern  prisons,  our  property  destroyed  or  con- 
fiscated and  our  country  reduced  to  worse  than  colonial  vassalage.  But 
this  you  will  not  do!  Gird  yourselves,  then,  for  the  coming  contest! 
Swear  by  the  God  that  liveth,  your  country  shall  be  free!  *  *  *  Be  you 
the  honored  instruments  in  His  hands  in  securing  so  great  a  boon,  and 
your  children's  children  will  refer  with  pleasure  and  delight  to  the  fact 
that  their  ancestors  bore  a  noble  part  in  this  matchless  struggle,  whilst 
the  present  generation  will  hail  you  as  the  deliverers  of  our  country!" 

lu  the  light  of  present  evidence  we  know  that  some  of  these 
apprehensions  were  unfounded.  They  were,  however,  none  the 
less  entertained  in  that  time  of  uncertainty  and  thick  flying  ru- 
mors.   Six  weeks  later  came  the  surrender  at  Appomattox. 

The  state  of  military  pre-emption  succeeding  the  war  is  too 
ignominiously  known  to  need  comment.  We  are  fortunate,  how- 
ever, in  possessing  a  letter  written  by  Captain  McAllister  in  Au- 
gust, 1865,  to  one  of  his  brothers  at  the  Korth,  and  the  following 
extracts  are  given  therefrom: 

What  better  can  we  expect  of  the  masses  after  the  deliverances  made 
by  the  late  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  more  hateful 
dogmas  than  which  have  never  been  uttered  by  the  Romish  Church  in 
the  times  of  her  power?  If  the  North  rules  in  the  State,  they  cannot 
control  the  conscience,  and  whilst  they  exclude  us,  it  is  all  they  can  do, 
— ecclesiastically. 

"  'Forfeited  all  our  rights'  is  a  dogma  to  which  I  cannot  accede.  These 
rights  were  in  abeyance  during  the  war,  and  with  peace  every  right  we 
ever  possessed  returns,  and  the  withholding  of  any  is  an  unwarranted 
despotism.    We  have  nearly  all  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance,  yielded  our 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


25 


rights  from  necessity  and  re-establislied  our  government  under  Pierpont, 
and  now  within  the  last  few  days  comes  on  the  batch  of  blue-coats  to 
keep  us  in  subjection  where  no  manifestation  of  resistance  has  been 
shown  since  the  surrender.  Were  they  so  disposed  the  young  men  in 
our  county  could  in  a  single  day  make  an  end  of  them,  but  such  is  not 
the  purpose  of  the  young  men  nor  the  counsel  of  the  old.  Submission, 
unconditional  submission;  yet  the  time  may  come  when  endurance  will 
cease  to  be  a  virtue  and  men  will  choose  death  rather  than  sufier  wrong. 

"Might  never  did  and  never  can  make  right.  I  feel  a  conscious  pride 
in  having  done  my  whole  duty  to  my  country  in  a  noble  cause,  and  so 
has  done  every  member  of  my  family,  both  male  and  female,  for  which 
I  have  just  cause  to  rejoice.  *  *  *  I  will  only  say  that  if  a  despot's  heel 
bases  upon  us  beyond  endurance,  we  will  find  means  to  obtain  a  home  in 
some  land  beyond  his  control. 

"In  justice  to  myself  I  must  here  say  I  was  not  a  secessionist  and  con- 
tended with  all  the  might  I  possessed  against  it  until  President  Lincoln 
called  for  75,000  men  to  whip  the  South.  Then  commenced  my  career 
with  the  extreme  Southern  men.  That  our  leaders  committed  errors  we 
admit.  Yet  of  the  justness  of  our  cause  I  never  entertained  a  doubt, 
nor  do  I  now,  though  overpowered,  a  result  which  the  North  never  could 
have  accomplished  but  for  foreign  aid. 

"I  have  not  held  a  military  office  above  a  captaincy  and  held  no  civil 
office,  am  in  possession  of  taxable  property  worth  over  §20,000,  which 
alone  puts  me  in  the  excepted  class.  I  have  taken  the  amnesty  oath  and 
have  m^^  petition  ready.  The  Governor  says  there  is  no  need  of  employ- 
ing lawyers  or  special  agents,  which  suits  my  case  well,  as  I  have  no 
money  to  pay  them.  I  drew  up  my  own  petition  and  now  can  aid  oth- 
ers. I  have  not  received  as  much  money  since  our  currency  failed  as  I 
used  to  get  for  ordinary  sales  in  one  day  and  not  a  dollar  can  be  collected. 
I  want  to  educate  my  children.  *  *  *  The  war  has  had  a  crushing  effect 
on  the  education  of  our  young  men." 

How  true  that  last  sentence  is  those  only  know  whom  adver- 
sity and  stern  labor  have  bnilded  into  strong  manhood. 

A  characteristic  though  amusing  incident,  showing  the  scarcity 
of  money  even  upon  a  place  worth  many  thousands,  had  occur- 
red in  May  of  this  year,  1865.  The  oldest  son  was  to  be  mar- 
ried and  certain  pecuniary  preparations  therefor  have  to  be 
made,  it  is  said.  Accordingly  a  collection  was  taken  up,  even 
the  negroes  on  the  farm  contributing.  The  sum  total  of  cash 
that  could  be  secured  was  $1.15.  It  is  proper  to  add  that  there 
was  no  postponement  of  the  nuptuals. 

These  multiplied  troubles,  though  pressing  heavy,  did  not  bring 
despair  with  them.  The  boys  assisting,  the  farm  work  was  re- 
organized and  substantial  improvements  planned  and  executed. 
It  was  at  this  time  of  widespread  want  that  Captain  McAl- 


26 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


lister  gave  another  evidence  of  his  charity  and  public  spirit  in 
furnishing  gratuitously  a  car-load  of  flour  to  the  families  of 
needy  soldiers.  This  is  but  one  conspicuous  instance  of  his  many 
smaller  charities  in  behalf  of  the  destitute  poor.  In  politics  he 
still  took  an  aggressive  interest,  uniting  with  the  "Conserva- 
tives," of  which  the  Democratic  party  in  Virginia  is  to-day  the 
offspring. 

The  strong  affection  between  Captain  McAllister  and  his 
brother  Robert  has  before  been  touched  upon.  In  view  of  it  the 
following  letter,  written  to  the  latter  but  never  sent,  will  prove 
of  interest: 

"Sweet  Chalybeate  Springs,  Julj^  9th,  1870. 

My  Very  Dear  Brother: 

Such  I  have  ever  regarded  you  and  until  I  have  further  knowledge, 
must  still  regard  you,  although  the  long  silence  would  indicate  anything 
else.  The  years  spent  in  deadly  combat  in  which  .you  and  I  were  actors 
on  opposite  sides  explains  itself,  but  that  five  years  should  have  elapsed 
since  the  close  of  the  war  without  any  communication  between  us  is  as- 
tonishing indeed. 

Out  of  this  contest  you  came  victorious;  we  lost  everythiug  but  our 
laud  and  our  honor,  the  former  of  which,  for  a  time  at  least,  we  held 
by  an  uncertain  tenure,  but  the  last  was  as  enduring  as  life  itself.  To 
have  opened  a  correspondence  with  you  under  the  circumstances  [the 
views  which  General  McAllister  held  as  to  the  South]  was  a  compromise 
of  honor  which  I  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  make.  Now  that  your  long- 
looked-for  letter  has  come  I  would  not  have  delayed  answering  it  a  sin- 
gle day  but  for  physical  disability. 

At  the  age  of  tifty-nine  I  am  an  old  man,  broken  down  with  labor  and 
care.  Last  summer  I  failed  in  hot  weather  but  revived  when  it  was  over. 
This  summer  I  failed  far  more  markedly.  The  doctor  advises  rest  for 
body  and  mind.  I  thought  to  spend  a  part  of  the  summer  in  Juniata 
when  I  wrote  sister,  but  have  become  too  feeble  to  travel."  * 

This  brother,  whose  life  and  services  have  been  admirably  por- 
trayed by  General  John  Watts  DePeyster,  was  one  of  the  most 
loyal  of  men  and  incorruptible  of  patriots.  Actors  on  oppos- 
ing sides,"  yet  each  battling  for  principles  dearer  to  him  than 
life  or  fortune  and  commensurate  alone  with  sacred  honor.  Un- 
questioned sincerity  of  North  and  South  is  the  one  safe  in- 
terpreter of  this  fratricidal  struggle  and  posterity  must  pass 
upon  its  merits  by  that  criterion  or  forever  do  injustice  to  its 
consumate  bravery  and  fortitude. 

Soon  after  this  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  three  brothers,  Nel 
son,  Robert  and  Thompson,  in  New  York,  whither  the  last  had 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


27 


gone  for  medical  consultation.  The  eminent  physicians  who  at- 
tended him  pronounced  his  disease  incurable  and  when  Thomp- 
son left  for  home  all  three  knew  it  was  the  last  parting  this  side 
of  the  grave.  ''He  was,"  says  one,  ''by  far  more  calm  than 
they.  ^  ^  I  remember  his  letters  shortly  before  his  death  and 
how  much  he  emphasized  his  entire  dependence  on  Christ  for 
salvation."  The  13th  of  March,  1871,  he  passed  peacefully  to 
the  rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God. 

One  of  the  many  tributes  to  his  memory  was  that  unanimously 
presented  by  the  "Friends  of  Temperance."  It  faithfully  sums 
ap  the  virtues  of  the  man  and  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was 
universally  held  by  the  community: 

"At  a  called  meeting  of  the  Friends  of  Temperance  of  this  place,  March 
13ch,  1871,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  Council  in  memory  of  our  worthy  and  much  loved 
brother,  Thompson  McAllister,  who  died  on  the  night  of  the  12th  iust. 

Resolved^  That  in  the  death  of  Captain  McAllister  the  community 
has  lost  a  valuable  and  worthy  citizen,  the  church  a  zealous  and  devoted 
member,  this  society  one  whose  zeal  and  example  cannot  be  supplied,  the 
wife  a  kind  and  affectionate  husband,  his  children  an  indulgent  and  de- 
voted father,  society  one  of  its  main  pillars,  aud  the  State  a  citizen  who 
was  as  brave  and  gallant  in  war  as  he  was  courteous  and  gentle  in  peace; 
and  that  we  attend  his  funeral  in  a  body  to-morrow. 

''Resolved,  That  we  extend  to  the  family  of  the  deceased  brother  our 
sympathies  in  this  the  hour  of  their  bereavement,  and  that  we  wear  the 
badges  of  mourning  prescribed  by  our  Order. 

''Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  furnished  the  family  of 
our  deceased  brother  and  forwarded  to  the  Staunton  Spectator  and  Cen- 
tral Presbyterian  for  publication.  Committee." 

The  memory  of  such  men  may  die  with  the  generation  of  which 
they  were  a  part,  but  "their  works  do  follow  them."  The  life 
they  lived  has  become  embodied  in  human  interests,  which  do 
not  die,  and  in  human  character,  which  is  immortal.  The  dom- 
inant principle  in  the  life  which  these  pages  have  attempted  to 
portray  was  that  of  duty,  and  to  our  progenitor  the  discharge  of 
duty  was  but  Christianity  in  action.  He  unswervingly  placed 
family  above  self  and  country  above  both  self  and  family.  His 
early  letters  to  his  father  and  his  respectful  regard  for  him  fore- 
told this  and  his  later  services  and  sacrifices  are  the  ample  proofs 
of  this  regnant  characteristic. 

As  a  citizen  Captain  McAllister  was  ever  public-spirited  and 
just;  as  a  soldier,  brave,  honorable  and  uncompromising  in  a 


28 


THOMPSON  McAllister. 


righteous  cause;  as  a  Christian,  one  who  by  patient  continuance  in 
well-doing  entered  before  death  upon  life  eternal.  Sprung  from 
an  honorable  ancestry,  he  yet  further  illumined  it  by  an  upright 
and  purposeful  life,  for  which  we,  his  descendants,  are  laid  un- 
der lasting  obligation  and  gratitude.  It  was  his  part  on  the  field 
of  war  and  amid  stirring  times  to  illustrate  hereditary  virtues. 
It  is  ours  to  live  them  in  pursuits  upon  which  Heaven  has  pressed 
the  crown  of  peace. 


THE  END. 


NOTES 

GENEALOGICAL  AND  DESCRIPTIVE. 


T  X  THE  PEEPAEATiox  of  these  brief  notes  the  compiler  has 
used  to  some  extent  "The  Thompson  Family,"  but  most  of 
the  information  not  otherwise  credited  has  been  secured  by  cor- 
respondence and  from  the  several  family  Bibles.  The  outline  of 
Major  Hugh  McAllister  was  briefed  in  the  main  from  ''McAllis- 
ter Memoranda"  and  that  of  Hon.  H.  X.  McAllister  from  "Mc- 
Allister Memorial,"  published  in  1873  by  order  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Constitutional  Convention. 

The  name  McAllister  was  originally  spelled  with  one  as  the 
signatures  of  Major  Hugh  and  Judge  William  McAllister  at- 
test. The  cut  of  the  first  signature,  a  fac  simile  of  the  one 
autograph  known  at  present  to  be  extant,  was  written  on  the  fly 
leaf  of  "Letters  to  a  Gentleman"  (1792).  Our  early  records  were 
destroyed  years  ago  by  the  burning  of  the  church  in  which  they 
were  stored. 

An  examination  of  the  memoranda  reveals  in  our  ancestry  a 
strong  predilection  for  the  religious  as  well  as  the  military.  Scotch 
ancestry  is  itself  a  heritage. 

The  family  burying-ground  is  near  McAllisterville,  Pa.,  and 
a  short  distance  from  the  homestead.  The  dead  of  the  Virginia 
branch  are  interred  in  Cedar  Hill  Cemetery,  Covington,  Ta. 
Commendable  efforts  are  being  made  for  the  improvement  and 
continued  preservation  of  the  former  burying-ground.  They 
merit  our  unstinted  support. 

The  first  generation  is  indicated  by  large  capitals,  the  fourth 
by  small  capitals,  and  the  fifth  by  italics,  in  the  notes  which 
follow . 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


I.  1.— HUGH  McAllister,  Scotch  Protestant  who  emigrated  from 
Ireland  to  America  about  the  year  1730,  settling  in  Lan- 
caster county,  Pa.  He  married  a  Miss  Harbison.  Issue: 
John,  Hugh  and  William.  The  first  settled  in  Sherman's 
Valley  and  the  last  two,  who  were  both  prominent  in  the 
Indian  and  Revolutionary  wars,  in  Lost  Creek  Valley,  Pa. 


("Major  Hugh"). 

II.  '1.—  ^  4UX.^0(M^     L/rf,t^O^/^  ^Born  1736  in  Little 

Britain  Township, 

Lancaster  county,  Pa.  Enlisted  in  the  French  and  Indian 
War  at  the  age  of  22.  He  went  under  Washington  and  in 
Captain  Forbes'  company  in  1755  to  Fort  Du  Quesne,  Af- 
terwards married  Sarah  Nelson,  of  Lancaster  county,  who 
had  emigrated  from  Ireland  in  infancy  with  her  father 
and  mother,  both  of  whom  died  on  the  voyage.  After 
their  marriage  they  settled  upon  a  small  farm  which  he 
purchased,  situated  upon  Buffalo  Creek  in  Sherman's  Val- 
ley, near  what  is  now  called  Ickesburg,  in  Cumberland,  now 
Perry,  county.  This  farm  he  afterwards  sold  to  his  bro- 
ther John  for  £45  and  in  the  fall  of  1760  or  1761  purchased 
from  a  certain  John  Irwin  for  £40  his  improvement  right 
(acquired  by  the  deadening  of  a  few  trees)  to  the  tract  of 
land  on  which  he  afterwards  lived  and  died,  situated  in 
Lost  Creek  Valley,  Cumberland,  now  Juniata,  county. 
He  returned  to  his  residence  in  Sherman's  Valley  to  spend 
the  winter  and  whilst  absent  with  his  family  on  a  friendly 
visit  to  a  neighbor,  his  house  took  fire  and  on  their  return 
they  found  it,  with  all  its  contents,  a  heap  of  ruins.  On 
the  16th  of  March  following  he  moved  with  his  family  to 
his  new  farm.  Indians  were  his  neighbors  and  with  them 
he  lived  on  terms  of  intimacy  and  friendship.  Just  before 
harvest  of  the  next  year  a  friendly  Indian  came  to  him 
with  the  information  that  war  was  at  hand  and  that  if  he 
would  save  his  own  life  and  the  lives  of  his  family,  they 
must  fly  before  they  slept.  The  household  furniture  and 
farming  utensils  were  immediately  buried  and  the  family 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


33 


set  c)ff  for  Patterson's  Fort,  now  Mexico,  seven  miles  dis- 
tant, and  the  next  day  the^'  left  for  Yellow  Breeches  Creek, 
south  of  Carlisle.  He  sufTered  his  crop  to  rot.  Others  w^ho 
returned  to  cut  their  crops  were  either  killed  or  taken 
prisoners. 

The  next  spriug  he  rented  a  farm  at  Hagerstown,  in 
Cumberland  countj^,  and  during  the  summer  (1708)  he 
volunteered  for  Pontiac's  War.  The  spring  following  he 
returned  to  his  farm  in  Lost  Creek  Valley,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  improve  and  cultivate  without  further  interrup- 
tion from  the  Indians.  At  this  stage  of  comparative  ease 
and  comfort  in  the  pioneer  life,  his  services  were  again 
volunteered  for  defence,  this  time  against  the  British.  In 
1775-6  he  was  Sergeant  in  Captain  James  Gibson's  com- 
pany of  militia,  Fourth  Battalion,  Cumberland  county. 
December,  1776,  found  Boston,  New  York,  Forts  Washing- 
ton and  Lee  in  the  hands  of  the  British.  The  American 
army  under  Washington,  shattered,  disheartened  and 
daily  decreasing,  were  making  a  precipitate  retreat  across 
the  Jerseys  into  Pennsylvania  before  the  victorious  British 
army,  under  Lord  Cornwallis.  In  this  gloomiest  hour  of 
the  American  Revolution,  a  meeting  of  citizens  was  held 
at  the  farm-house  of  Wm.  Sharon— within  a  mile  of  Mc- 
Allister's—to consult  as  to  what  thej^  might  do  towards  re- 
enforcing  ^Yashington,  A  large  meeting  assembled.  It 
was  unanimously  resolved  that  a  compauj^  be  raised  to 
march  forthwith.    But  how?    ^Y ho  would  go? 

McAllister  stepped  out  as  a  volunteer  and  for  some  time 
stood  alone.  At  length  one  and  another  stepped  out.  The 
company  was  filled  and  John  Hamilton  elected  Captain. 
The  company  was  composed  of  the  officers  and  fifty  pri- 
vates, a  troop  of  horse.  It  reached  camp  the  day  after  the 
Hessians  were  taken  prisoners  at  Trenton.  McAllister 
held  a  subordinate  office.  The  company,  after  having 
served  the  time  for  which  they  were  volunteered,  returned 
home.  The  next  year  McAUister  was  drafted,  and  spent 
the  winter  at  Valley  Forge,  holding  a  Lieutenant's  com- 
mission. On  his  return  home  he  was  elected  Captain  and 
in  that  capacitj'  was  sent  with  his  company  to  Potter's 
Fort.  Several  expeditions  against  the  Indians  preceded 
his  return  to  his  family.  After  his  return,  the  family  of 
Jacob  Styers  were  killed  by  the  Indians  at  Beaver  Dams, 
now  Union  county.  McAllister  summoned  his  company 
and  went  in  pursuit,  but  finding  it  impossible  to  overtake 
the  Indians,  after  burying  the  dead  they  returned.  Mc- 
Allister was  then  (May  1st,  1783,)  commissioned  Major  of 
the  Seventh  Battalion  of  Militia,  in  Cumberland  county 
(writer  has  the  original  commission).    Hugh  McAllister, 


34 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


some  years  previous,  with  otliers  begau  to  build  a  church 
two  miles  from  Miftlintown  upon  a  spot  ii  )W  marked  by  a 
cemetery.  Indians  interrupted  the  work,  which  was  com- 
pleted two  years  later,  and  a  church  30  by  40  feet  erected, 
Hugh  McAllister  was  a  Presbyterian  and  is  reputed  to 
have  been  a  man  of  strong  religious  convictions.  The  re- 
cords prove  him  a  man  of  business  tact,  progressiveness 
and  large  public  spirit.  He  died  September  22nd,  1810, 
having  by  will  given  the  homestead  to  his  son  William. 
His  wife  had  died  July  7th,  1802.  Issue:  Robert,  Hugh, 
John,  Nancy,  Polly,  and  William. 

^yy^  Qy^r  ^T^'^.^mi^    ("Judge  William").  Born 

.—  yy       L/jT^  August,  1775.  Married, 


III  6. 

November  2nd,  1802,  Sarah  Thompson.  She  (1 783-1802) 
was  daughter  of  William  Thompson,  Sr.,  (1754-1813)  who 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine  and  German- 
town  and  whose  wife  was  Jane  Mitchell.  William  Thomp- 
son's father,  John  Thompson,  Sr.,  (I.  1.)  originally  a  Scotch 
Covenanter,  emigrated  from  Ireland,  about  1730,  to  Ches- 
ter county,  Pa.,  married  three  times  and  William  was  by 
first  wife,  Miss  Greenlee.  (See  "The  Thompson  Family"). 
William  McAllister  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  March 
4th,  1842,  was  appointed  one  of  the  two  associate  judges 
of  Juniata  county.  He  died  December  21st,  1847,  and  his 
wife  March  7th,  1862.  He  was  a  man  of  great  business  ca- 
pacity, full  of  energy  and  industry;  prominent  in  church 
work;  noted  for  his  hospitality  and  uncompromising  in 
principle  and  opinions.  Issue: 
IV.  1.— Jane  Thompson  McAllister  (December  27th,  1803— July 
29th,  1880).  Wed  Judge  David  Banks  April  10th,  1827. 
She  was  the  mother  of  seven  sons,  four  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing. Issue: 

y.  1. — Ja7nes  A.  Banks.  Born  January  17th,  1828.  Killed  by  Indians 
in  Nevada  August  1st,  1867.  Went  to  California  in  1853 
and  become  very  prominent.  Served  in  the  Legislature  of 
that  State  two  terms  and  in  the  State  Senate  one  term. 
He  came  within  one  vote  of  being  elected  United  States 
Senator.  At  the  time  of  his  death  was  managing  mining 
interests  in  Nevada. 

V.  2. —  William  Banks.  Born  March  i2th,  1830.  Lived  at  the  home- 
stead until  1886;  since  then  at  Miftlintown,  Pa.  Wed  Jane 
Elizabeth  Hamlin  October  1st,  1861.  These  two,  with 
their  children,  early  became  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Issue: 

VI.  1.— William  H.  Banks.  Born  November  16th,  1862.  Wed  Bessie 
Parker,  of  Mifiiintown,  October  27th,  1892,  and  is  a  practic- 
ing physician  there.  Issue: 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


35 


VII.  1.— Robert  Parker  Banks.    Born  October  18th,  1893. 
VII.  2.~Jane  Banks.    Born  November  15th,  1891. 
VI.  2.— James  A.  Banks.    Born  October  15th,  1864.    Druggist  with  Dr. 

Lucien  Banks,  Mifflintown. 
VI.  3.— Andrew  Banks.    Born  March  21st,  1866.    Graduated  at  Prince- 
ton College  and  is  a  successful  lawyer  at  Greensburg,  Pa. 
VI.  4— Ella  Kate  Banks.   Born  May  6th,  1868.   Wed  J.  Howard  Neely, 
lawyer  of  Mifflintown,  December  31st,  1891.  Issue: 
Vir.  1.— Lucien  Banks  Neely.    (March  3rd,  1893— Xovember  30th,  1893.) 
VII.  2.— John  Howard  Xeel\\    Born  Xovember  22nd,  1894. 
VII.  3.— William  Hamlin  Xeely.    Born  February  2nd,  1896. 
VI.  5.— Philo  Hamlin  Banks.    Born  September  30th,  1870. 
VI.  6.— R.  Jennie  Banks.    Born  July  l^th,  1872. 

VI.  7.— Annie  May  Banks.    Born  July  14th,  1879;  died  May  10th,  1880. 
V.  3.— Dca'/rZ  Stewart  Banks,  D.  D.    Born  January  10th,  1832.    Has  a 

charge  in  Santa  Cruz,  Cal.    Is  not  married. 
V.  4. — John  Edward  Banks.    Died  in  infancy. 

V.  5. — Robert  Edwin  Banks.  Born  June  29th,  1837.  Died  of  typhoid 
fever  at  Jefferson  College  April  17th,  1858. 

V.  <6—John  Nelson  Banks.  Born  May  3rd,  1839.  He  stands  high  in 
the  legal  profession  at  Indiana,  Pa.    He  has  two  children. 

V.  1  .—lAicien  Banks.  Born  January  13th,  1841.  A  physician  in  high 
standing  in  Miffiintown.  Chairman  of  Democratic  party 
in  his  county  and  has  served  one  term  in  the  Legislature. 

IV.  2.— Nancy.  (January  r7th,  1807— September  28th,  1807.) 

IV.  3.— Htgh  Nelson  McAllister.  Born  June  28th,  1809.  Grad- 
uated from  Jefferson  College  1833.  Admitted  to  bar  of 
Centre  county,  Pa.,  Xovember  25th,  1835,  and  at  once  be- 
came full  partner  of  Hon.  W.  W.  Potter.  In  1859,  Mr. 
Potter  having  been  dead  some  years,  Mr,  McAUister  asso- 
ciated with  him  Hon.  James  A.  Beaver  under  the  firm- 
name  of  McAllister  &  Beaver.  He  first  wed  Henrietta 
Ashman  Orbison,  of  Huntingdon,  Pa.,  by  whom  he  had 
seven  children,  four  of  whom  died  in  infanc3\  The  first 
Mrs.  McAllister  died  April  12th,  1857,  and  on  September 
12th,  1859,  he  married  Margaret  Hamilton,  of  Harrisburg, 
a  granddaughter  of  Captain  John  Hamilton,  under  whom 
his  grandfather  served  in  the  Revolution.  During  the  war 
of  1861-5  Mr.  McAllister  did  more  than  an^'-  one  man  to 
raise  and  organize  the  many  companies  which  left  Centre 
county.  He  finally  raised  a  full  companj^  (Co.  F,  23rd  Pa. 
militia),  was  elected  its  Captain  and  went  with  it  to  the 
field,  serving  faithfully  until  his  place  could  be  filled  by  a 
younger  man.  He  was  one  of  the  projectors  and  constant 
supporters  of  the  (now)  State  College;  kept  the  county  ag- 
ricultural society  in  existence  for  a  long  time  almost  un- 
aided, and  for  many  years  headed  the  temperance  organi- 


36 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


zations  of  the  couDty.  He  was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Belle- 
fonte  church  and  was  one  of  the  most  learned  of  the  four- 
teen delegates  at  large  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Consti- 
tutional Convention.  He  died  as  a  member  of  that  body 
May  r)th,  1873.  Issue  by  first  marriage: 
V.  \.— Ellen  E.  McAllhter.  (1846—1866.) 

V.  2.— Mary  McAllister.  Wed,  December  20th,  1865,  James  A.  Beaver, 
Bellefonte,  Pa.,  Brigadier-General  Civil  war;  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania  1887-9,  and  now  (1896)  on  the  Supreme  Bench 
of  Pennsylvania.  Issue: 
VI.  1.— Nelson  McAllister  Beaver.  (November  11th,  1866— January 
8th,  1867). 

VI.  2.— Gilbert  Addams  Beaver.  Born  January  1st,  1869.  Wed  Miss 
Anne  Simonton  May  12th,  1896.  Engaged  in  International 
Y.  M.  C,  A.  work  (1896). 

VI.  3.— Hugh  McAllister  Beaver.  Born  March  29th,  1873.  College 
Secretary  Y.  M.  C.  A.  (1896). 

VI.  4.— Thomas  Beaver.    Born  April  8th,  1875. 

VI.  5.— James  Addams  Beaver,  Jr.  (December  26th,  1883— January 
22nd,  1887). 

V.  Sarah  McAllister.  Wed  Dr.  Thomas  R.  Hays,  Bellefonte,  Pa., 
1883.    They  still  reside  there. 

IV.  4.— Thompson  McAllister  (August  30th,  1811— March  13th,  1871). 

Wed,  February  14th,  1839,  Lydia  Miller  Addams  (February 

11th,  1819),  daughter  of  Abraham  Addams,  Esq.  Moved 

to  Covington,  Va.,  1849.   Captain  in  C.  S.  A.  1861-'65.  (See 

"Sketch.")  Issue: 
V.  I.— Clara  Biddle  McAllister.     (December  8th,  1839— May  28th, 

1869).  Wed  Dr.  Gabriel  McDonald,  Surgeon  in  C.  S.  Army, 

September  29th,  1859.  Issue: 
VI.  1.— Mary  Jordan  McDonald.     (November  18th,  1860— February 

15th,  1862). 

VI.  2.— Willie  May  McDonald,    Born  September  19th,  1864. 
VI.  3.— James  Addams  McDonald.    (September  22nd,  1867— August 
6th,  1868). 

VI.  4.— Clara  Gabriella  McDonald.    Born  May  11th,  1869.    Wed  T.  E. 

Buck,  East  Radford,  Va.,  November  2nd,  1892.  Issue: 
VII.  1.— William  McDonald  Buck.    Born  August  14th,  1893. 
VII.  2.— Evred  Johnson  Buck.    Born  June  11th,  1895. 
VII.  3.— Frank  Speed  Buck.    Born  June  11th,  1895. 

V.  2.— Abraham  Addams  McAllister.  Born  August  25th,  1841.  March, 
1862,  enlisted  in  Bryan's  Battery,  in  which  he  was  Ser. 
geant  till  the  surrender.  Wed  Julia  Ellen  Stratton  May 
10th,  1865,  and  managed  estate  until  1876.  Began  mer- 
chandising with  G.  G.  Gooch  1875,  and  for  self  1880.  Senior 
partner  of  milling  firm  of  McAllister  &  Bell,  Covington, 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


37 


Va.    Is  a  successful  and  scientific  farmer  and  owns  a  con- 
trolling interest  in  a  number  of  enterprises  in  Covington 
and  at  other  points  in  the  county.    Is  a  ruling  elder  in  the 
Covington  church.  Issue: 
VI.  1.— Joseph  Thompson  McAllister.  Born  February  27th,  1866.  Wed 
•Virginia  Richards  Anderson  April  18th,  1893.  Attorney- 
at-law  of  the  firm  of  Wm.  M.  &  J.  T.  McAllister,  Warm 
Springs,  Va.  Issue: 
VII.  1.— Joseph  Thompson  McAllister,  Jr.    Born  March  24th,  1894. 

VI.  2.— Mary  Lydia  McAllister.    Born  September  1st,  1868.    Wed  F. 

H.  Hammond,  November  29th,  1887:  died  October  9th, 
1888.    Issue:  Baby,  still-born. 

VI.  3.— William  McDonald  McAllister.  Born  January  15th,  1871.  Wed 
Virginia  Harlow,  September  25th,  1895.  He  is  the  Mc- 
Allister Hardware  Co.,  Covington,  Va. 

VI.  4.— James  Gray  McAllister.  Born  November  27th,  1872.  Business 
Manager  Central  Presbyterian^  Richmond  Va.  (1896). 

VI.  5. — Addams  Stratton  McAllister.    Born  February  24th,  1875. 

VI.  6.— Clara  Annie  McAllister.    Born  March  17th,  1877. 

VI.  7,— Hugh  Maffitt  McAllister.    Born  April  7th,  1879. 

VI.  8.— Juhan  Robert  McAUister.    Born  November  21st,  1881. 

V.  3.—  Wdliarn  Miller  McAllister.  Born  March  6, 1843.  Enlisted  April, 
1861,  as  youngest  in  his  father's  company,  the  famous  "Car. 
penter  Battery,"  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Wed 
Maggie  A.  Erwin  October  27th,  1869.  Senior  member  of 
the  law  firm  of  Wm.  M.  &  J.  T.  McAllister,  Warm  Springs, 
Va.,  and  special  attorney  for  the  U.  S,  Government,  War 
Claims' Department,  headquarters  Tennessee.  Active  and 
deservedl^^  prominent  in  Virginia  political  affairs.  Is  Com- 
mander Bath  Camp  C.  V.,  and  a  ruling  elder  of  Warm 
Springs  church. 

V.  4:.— Edgar  Thoynj^son  McAllister.  Born  October  30th,  1848.  Wed 
Alice  C.  Mann  October  20th,  1874,  w^ho  died  October  18th, 
1895.  Issue: 

VI.  1.— Alice  Miller  McAlhster.    Born  April  16th,  1877. 
VI.  2.— WiUiam  Addams  McAllister.    Born  May  16th,  1879. 

V.  b.— Annie  Elizaheth  McAllister.  Born  June  6th,  1851.  Wed  Dr.  J.  R. 

England  December  17th  1873.   Live  at  home-place.  Issue: 

VI.  1.— Lydia  Miller  England.    Born  June  21st,  1875. 

VI.  2.— Harriet  Elizabeth  England.    Born  September  8th,  1876. 

VI.  3.— Charles  Thompson  England.    Born  April  1st,  1878. 

VI.  4.— William  McAllister  England.    Born  April  3rd,  1880. 

VI.  5.— Clarence  McDonald  England.  Born  March  19th,  1882.  (A  sis- 
ter was  born  and  died  that  date), 


38 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


VI.  6.— Frank  Addams  England.    Born  April  18th,  1884. 
VI.  7.— Mary  Kyle  England.    Born  July  16th,  1886. 

IV.  5.— Robert  McAllister.    (June  1st,  1813— February  23rd,  1891). 

Wed  Ellen  Wilson  November  9th,  1841.  In  the  Civil  War 
he  first  commanded  the  First  New  Jersey  Regiment  and 
June  30th,  1862,  was  commissioned  Colonel  of  the  Eleventh 
New  Jersey  Volunteers.  "Was  one  of  the  very  few  men 
who  went  through  the  war  from  its  inception  to  its  close, 
being  present  at  Bull  Run  and  Appomattox,  respectively, 
without  missing  any  of  the  pitched  battles  (except  South 
Mountain  and  Antietam)  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  to 
which  he  was  attached  from  tirst  to  last.  ^  *  *  Brevetted 
Brigadier-General  for  his  glorious  behavior  at  Boydton 
Plank-Road,  27th  October,  1864,  and  Major-General  for  mer- 
itorious conduct  throughout  the  war."  General  DeTrobri- 
and  says  of  him:  "As  punctual  in  his  religious  habits  as  he 
was  sincere  in  his  belief,  he  had  Protestant  religious  ser- 
vices regularly  on  Sunday  at  his  headquarters.  The  most 
pleasant' attention  we  could  pay  him  on  that  day  was  to 
listen  to  the  sermon  of  his  Chaplain."  Monument  to  his 
command  at  Gettysburg,  where  General  McAllister  had 
two  horses  shot  from  under  him.  (See  "Sketch"  by  Gen- 
eral John  Watts  DePeyster.)  Issue: 
V.  1, — Swah  Elizabeth  McAllister.  Wed  Wilson  Lloyd,  Philadelphia, 
August  13th,  1863.  Live  at  "Hugh's  Fancy,"  near  home- 
stead. Issue: 

VI.  1.— Robert  McAllister  Lloyd.  Born  June  14th,  1864.  President  of 
Plaute  Electric  Storage  Battery  Co.,  N.  Y.  (1896). 

VI.  2.— Elizabeth  Spackman  Lloyd.    Born  November  27th,  1866. 

VI.  3.— Thomas  Wilson  Lloyd.  Born  June  16th,  1869.  With  import- 
ing house  of  J.  H.  Tilge  &  B.,  N.  Y. 

VI.  4. — Nelson  McAllister  Lloyd.  Born  December,  1872.  Assistant 
City  Editor  Evening  Sun,  N.  Y.  (1896). 

VI.  5.— William  Henry  Lloyd.    Born  June  16th,  1877. 
V.  2. — Henrietta  Graham  McAllister.    Wed  Johnston  H.  Baldwin, 

Pittsburg,  October  30th,  1873.  Issue: 
VI.  1.— Eleanor  McAllister  Baldwin.    Born  August  13th,  1874. 
VI.  2.— Jane  Hewitt  Baldwin.    Born  July  23rd,  1876. 
VI.  3.— Robert  McAllister  Baldwin.    (September  13th,  1877— May  31st, 

1892.) 

VI.  4. — Henrietta  Baldwin.    Born  November  22nd,  1885. 

IV.  6.— Elizabeth  McAllister.  Born  January  7th,  1815.  Wed 
David  Stewart  June  3rd,  1834.    Died  November  21st,  1835. 

IV.  7.— William  McAllister.    (July  5th,  1818— August  6th,  1822). 


GENEALOGICAL  DATA. 


39 


IV.  8.— Son  born  October  10th,  1820.    Died  imDamed. 

IV.  9.— George  ^YASHINGTON   McAllister.    Born  February  'Jth, 
1823.    Wed  Mary  Myers  January  15th,  1850.    Lives  at  the 
homestead.  Issue: 
V.  1. — Laura  Jean  McAllister.    Born  October  26th,  1855. 

V.  2.— Banks  Clayton  McAllister.    Born  October  5th,  1859.    Wed  Em- 
ma Ewing,  Culpeper,  Va.,  April  18th,  1889.  Issue: 
VI.  1.— George  Irvine  McAllister.    Born  September  28th,  1890. 


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